RIGVEDA

Mandala X: Sukta 146

 

(I) 

 

               FOREST-Range! Range of Forest!

Ever forward you seem to move!

       Wherefore do you not enquire

for a village? Are you not afraid?

 

(2) 

 

Here bellows the bull, there in answer

chirps a grasshopper –­

A musical chord, as it were, playing

the glory of the woodland!

 

(3)

 

       These seem to be cattle grazing

and those are huts for habitation;

       and at eve-tide there seem to file

out of the forest a caravan of carts.

 

(4)

 

A call, as though, it is for a straying calf

or perhaps a tree is being cut down,

 

Or even as we are in the woodland

now at night-fall do we hear a moan trailing?

 

(5)

 

But the forest slays none indeed;

unless there comes an intruder from outside.

Here you regale yourself with sweet fruits

and wander about as you like.

 

(6)

 

Sweet-scented, loaded with natural yields,

the Mother of animalkind,

To Her I raise this hymn of praise!